


Save A Room For You

by allthislovetogive



Series: Home is Safe, Home is Fair [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Attachment Issues, Avengers Family, Domestic Avengers, Domestic Fluff, Found Family, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Parent Natasha Romanov, Parent Steve Rogers, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, Protective Natasha Romanov, Protective Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:40:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29901927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthislovetogive/pseuds/allthislovetogive
Summary: Steve was in civilian clothes, his uniform presumably packed in the duffle bag by his feet, but what catches Natasha’s eye is the bright yellow sling across his chest.A series of one-shots.
Relationships: Natasha Romanov/Avengers Team, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov, Wanda Maximoff/Natasha Romanov
Series: Home is Safe, Home is Fair [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2198634
Comments: 46
Kudos: 86





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! So if you’re coming from By Any Other Name, this series of one-shots tie in with that, but can probably stand alone on its own (reading the first chapter of that one should be context enough, just in case you need it!) I’ve had this drafted for a while, and just to clarify, BAON will still be updated with slices of life that focus on the trio you’ve come to know. x 
> 
> Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Natasha scans the team making their way out of the quinjet, and she tries to keep a steady expression when the one person she had been expecting doesn’t appear.

“Where’s Rogers?”

“After we debriefed in the jet, Captain just took off,” One of the agents who was last to come out answered her with an evident shake to his voice.

“And you didn’t even think to ask him where he headed off to?”

“He didn’t give us any time to ask.”

Natasha turns on her heel at his words, stalking back inside and heading straight up to her floor, finding Wanda and Rose on the couch watching TV. Upon closer inspection, she sees that the volume on the show was turned on low and Rose was leaning against Wanda’s side, fast asleep.

“Natasha,” Wanda greets when she sees her sit on the armrest. “Is everything alright?”

“Steve went rogue post debriefing,” Natasha answers honestly. “They don’t have eyes on him, I have no idea when he’s coming back.”

“I’m sure it must be important,” Wanda tries to reassure. “He’s old enough to take care of himself—,”

“But he also has a five year old waiting for him to come home,” Natasha looks pointedly at Rose. “I’ll try to reach him tonight.”

Natasha maneuvers Rose into a more comfortable position on the couch, her head laying on Wanda's lap. The little girl stirs from the movement, blinking drowsily.

"Daddy?"

"It’s Mama," Natasha hums, coaxing her to lay back down. “Go back to sleep.”

“Is Daddy here?”

“Not yet.”

“He said,” Rose cuts herself off with a yawn. “He said t’day.”

“I know, baby,” Natasha leans down to kiss her temple. “I’ll be reminding him of that when he gets back, I promise.”

“Do you think he’ll be home soon?” Wanda asks quietly, and Natasha looks up for a moment before pressing her lips against her forehead as well.

“He better.”

They go through the motions for the rest of the day, Wanda staying in the guest bedroom that evening to lend an extra hand and Rose feeling generally anxious about the delay of her father’s return. Natasha makes sure that the two girls were sound asleep in their rooms before retiring to hers, pulling her phone out to contact Steve and cursing when it goes straight to voicemail.

Natasha finally relents to leaving a message after the fifth attempt, sighing deeply.

“Going rogue is more my style, didn’t expect you to follow along,” Natasha tries to keep her voice neutral, almost teasing, even though she knows she’ll be giving him an earful the minute she lays eyes on him. “You promised Rosie you’d be home today, and you’re not, so you better have a damn good explanation for it, alright? Call back.”

Natasha leaves more messages over the next few days, attempting to trace the phone signal but coming up with either a broad radius or an intercepted location every single time, rendering her efforts futile. She works hard to keep her daughter’s hopes high that Steve would be back soon, but a few days turn into three weeks, with the little girl being more disheartened as each day passes, eventually asking for him less and less.

Natasha was almost at her wits end, constantly reaching out and receiving radio silence, and just as she was about to plan to search for him herself, she finally hears that he’s left a message and she immediately presses play.

“ _Hey, Nat_ ,” Steve’s voice sounded exhausted on the other line. “ _I’m so sorry for not getting in touch sooner. I...I’ll be flying back tomorrow; could you do me a favor and wait up? I promise I’ll explain everything. I love you and I’ll see you by then, alright? Give our girl a kiss for me._ ”

Natasha feels anger and disappointment and goddamn relief charge through her veins all at once at the sound of his voice—he sounds genuinely apologetic, that much she can tell, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that he’s done it on purpose without letting them, his own family, know about his whereabouts the past few weeks.

She doesn’t tell Rose about Steve arriving the next day, not wanting to disappoint her if it doesn’t happen. She goes about the day as normal, bringing Rose to and from kindergarten, but when she tucks her daughter into sleep later that evening, she presses two kisses on her forehead.

Natasha stays in the living room to wait for him as promised, busying herself with tidying up and reading a bit to pass the time. She hears the faint whirr of the elevator at around three in the morning, and she doesn’t turn around to face him, not even when she hears the steady pace of his shoes against the floor.

“You’re late,” Natasha’s words slice through the tension like a knife, and she expected a retort, an apology, or even a sigh.

What she didn’t expect was a startled whine.

Natasha swiftly stands to face him, and the anger she feels boils down to a simmer at the sight in front of her.

Steve was in civilian clothes, his uniform presumably packed in the duffle bag by his feet, but what catches her eye is the bright yellow sling across his chest, holding the bundle close to him. 

“That’s...” Natasha starts, and Steve only nods. “A baby.”

Steve takes a tentative step forward, and when Natasha doesn’t move away, he closes the distance between them, bringing a free hand up to cup her cheek.

“Can I get a hello first?” Steve hums, and Natasha fights the urge to kiss him. Or smack him. Or both. “I missed you. I’m so sorry for not checking in.”

“I can see why now,” Natasha whispers. She finally relents, standing up on her tiptoes to press a chaste kiss on his cheek, all the while pulling a bit on the sling to peer inside. " _Oh._ "

The baby looked to be no older than a few months old, several cuts and healing yellow bruises over its small body. A knit cap was over its head, and has bandages wrapping around its left wrist as well as a gauze taped to its thigh. The little one’s eyes dart around wildly, quiet and curious, and when her eyes meet Natasha’s for a brief moment, it lets out a soft noise.

“We’re going to get a reputation of bringing home strays,” Natasha murmurs, and the corner of Steve’s lip quirks slightly upward. “What happened?”

“I found her during the raid,” Steve starts, his voice low enough for only Natasha to hear. “Her mother was a minor, and she led me to where they kept the other children who survived the streams. She pulled me to the corner and managed to tell me this little one’s name before collapsing.”

“Children, streams?” Natasha could barely contain her gasp. “You were in Madripoor.” 

“It was horrible, Nat, I kept picturing Rosie,” Steve shivers a bit, his eyes shut tight at the thought. “The people there knew about what you did a few years back but some sick viewers built their own private servers. We managed to shut down the entire network and located the containment facilities.”

“Good,” Natasha grits out before softening just a hair. “Where’d the children go? And what’s this little one’s name?”

“Sarah,” Steve whispers, and Natasha’s wide eyes look up to meet his, recognizing the similar motive. The baby, Sarah, lets out a soft coo at the sound of her name and Steve gingerly pulls her out of the sling and cradles her against him. “Most of the children were abducted and we were able to locate their families, but she didn’t have any papers and her only relative is gone. We were already debriefing but I couldn’t bear to live with the thought of her in an orphanage while the rest were able to return home.”

“It doesn’t explain why you couldn’t have told me as soon as you left the quinjet,” Natasha’s tone is thoroughly disappointed, and she makes sure it gets across. “I was this close to sending out a search party for you. I didn’t do it sooner because I trusted that you’d come home—I was worried, Steve, and you know I don’t worry. Rosie cried for you every night and I couldn’t tell her where the hell you were and when you’d be back.”

“I was dead set on finding any blood relative Sarah had, I didn’t even think about anything else,” Steve confesses, his head down. He doesn’t bounce the baby nor sway like he usually does with Rose. “I really just took her and went. I took care of her while I searched, and she doesn’t cry for some reason so I had to wake up every few hours to make sure she eats or is changed and—,”

“Hey, hey, breathe,” Natasha can feel him hyperventilating, trying to justify his actions, and she knows he means well, he always does. “You were doing your best, I get it. But you didn’t answer my question. Why didn’t you just send me a message that you weren’t running away or dead?” 

“I know we’ve never talked extensively about...expanding,” Steve reveals, looking straight into her eyes. “That’s why I was so hesitant to tell you because I needed to make sure that I wasn’t taking Sarah from anyone before I brought her here. I hope you understand why I had to take her in, Nat. I couldn’t just let her go.”

“I do,” Natasha whispers, stepping forward to gently stroke the back of Sarah’s hand. “I thought Rosie was it for us, to be honest, but I’ve thought about asking you. Guess you just beat me to it.”

“I’ll talk to Rosie in the morning, spend some one-on-one time with her,” Steve promises, and Sarah fusses a bit in his hold, smacking his chest as she squirms. “You’ve had all my attention these past few weeks, princess.”

Natasha chuckles a bit, looking down to take a better look at her features. Steve carefully transfers her in her arms, and when Sarah settles naturally in her embrace, he beams. “Oh, look at that.”

“Hi,” Natasha whispers almost reverently, pulling a hand away to lightly trace her cheek with her finger. “Hi, Sarah.”

“She likes you,” Steve smiles. “She usually screams her head off whenever she got handed to anyone else.”

“That’s good,” Natasha keeps her voice low, frowning a bit at how the baby couldn’t seem to keep her gaze. “Has she had a check up yet?”

“We had medic check over all the children after getting them out. They wrapped her major cuts up and gave her the standard vaccines for a three month old but she’s a bit late for the second doses,” Steve runs his fingers through his hair, slightly distressed. “I’ve also only managed to grab a few essentials before I left Madripoor. We don’t even have a crib or a changing table. I didn’t even factor in how Rosie would—,”

“Hey, calm down,” Natasha cuts him off, and Sarah cries suddenly, forcing her to keep her own breathing intact. “You too, baby girl. Shh, it’s alright. Your daddy’s just having a moment.” 

“I’m sorry, Nat, I just—,” Steve sighs deeply, pressing his forehead against hers, his hand cupping the crown of Sarah’s head as she slowly settles back down in Natasha’s hold. “I just want to give her what we have with Rosie. I want her to grow up knowing that she’s safe and loved.” 

“I know,” Natasha slowly puts Sarah back in the sling across Steve’s chest before giving him a chaste kiss. “And she will.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve brings Sarah in for a checkup while Natasha eases Rose into her new role as a big sister.

“What time is it now?”

Steve whispers in the dead of the night, both of them with their backs against the headboard. Natasha had taken hold of the infant as he changed into a pair of sweatpants after their conversation in the living room, looking down and murmuring soft words to her as they settle down.

“Almost four thirty,” Natasha says, and very carefully, Steve crawls over to the foot of the bed and pulls out a small baby bottle from his duffle, filling it almost halfway with water and powdered formula before giving it a gentle shake. 

“Here,” Steve hands her the bottle, and Natasha tilts her head.

“You’re not going to warm it?”

“It’s room temp, she’ll take it,” Steve gently urges, and Natasha carefully slips the nipple between her lips. The baby’s eyes widen in slight surprise, but almost immediately starts sucking eagerly.

“It’s like this every time,” Steve frowns, even as Sarah’s hand curls around his finger. “She drinks so fast but she’ll whine if you pull it away to get her to breathe.”

“She’s also not leaning against me,” Natasha notes. “I know Rosie’s older but she would always curl into me even during the first few months.”

“I think she’s just trying to get used to you,” Steve murmurs, and when he gently pokes her stomach, she lets out a small squeak, breaking her latch. “Shh, sorry, sorry.”

“It’s okay, here you go,” Natasha hums, bringing the bottle back and she lets out an indignant grunt. “She startles so quickly.”

“Isn’t that how all babies are?”

“Lila and Nate were never like this,” Natasha breathes out. “I know Cho’s great, but I think it would be best if you could ask her to refer you to an actual pediatrician, maybe someone who specializes in—," 

“There’s nothing wrong with her,” Steve bristles a bit at the insinuation, and Natasha understands his defensiveness more than she should.

“I didn’t say that,” Natasha’s voice is composed, not wanting to agitate the baby in her arms. “But for your own peace of mind, and mine. We’re both out of our depths here.”

Steve mulls over the thought, Sarah’s little breaths and suckles amplified by the silence. 

“You’re probably right,” Steve eventually gives in with a small sigh, scooting down on the bed and laying on his side, his hand resting on her thigh.

“I’m always right,” Natasha throws him a small smirk to let him know she wasn’t the least bit angry before looking back down at Sarah. “From now on, you're going to be on Mama’s side, okay? Three against one.”

“Not fair,” Steve struggles to keep a smile off his face at her teasing.

“Four, if you include Wanda,” Natasha hums, pulling the empty bottle away, kissing her forehead before pressing her small body against her. “You’re outnumbered, Steve. You brought this upon yourself.”

“Buck told me I could never be a ladies’ man, yet here I am,” Steve shrugs, and his quip was rewarded with a hearty burp. “Good girl, Sarah!”

“Charming,” Natasha chuckles, wiping the bit of spit with the hem of her shirt. “So this is us now.”

“We don’t have a white picket fence, but I think we’re doing alright,” Steve jests, receiving a steady smack on his shoulder. “How do you think Rosie will take it?”

“Have I ever told you about the first time I brought her to the farm?” Natasha asks, setting Sarah in between them before propping herself up on her side to face him. “She was painfully shy at first, but before she went to sleep, she asked if we could bring Nate home.”

“Did she, now?” Steve smiles, resting his hand over Sarah’s stomach and she turns her head slightly, almost staring right through him with wide eyes.

“She always wanted to help out with the baby,” Natasha recalls with a fond look on her face. “I hope she still feels the same.”

“We can ease her into it,” Steve proposes in a low voice, noticing how Sarah’s eyes start to flutter close. “I can bring Sarah down to the medbay tomorrow, see if Dr. Cho is in to get her checked, then we’ll introduce her to Sarah once you’ve talked to her.”

“And if she’s not?”

“Then you’ll stall while I hide in the room,” Steve shrugs. “Also, I don’t think I want the team to find out about her yet. I don’t want to overwhelm her.”

“I’ll make sure to update the security protocol on the floor,” Natasha closes her eyes, keeping her hands close to her chest. “How long do you think it’ll take for them to start suspecting?”

“I don’t know,” Steve yawns. “But we can cross that bridge when we get there.”

Steve checks in with FRIDAY as soon as he wakes up, and was running on three hours of sleep when he brings a docile Sarah to the other side of the compound. He tries his best not to get caught as he approaches the medbay, and when Helen spots him entering the room, they exchange polite smiles.

“My patients are getting younger and younger,” Helen comments good-naturedly. “Last time I checked, I’m not a pediatrician.”

“You’re good with Rosie,” Steve quips. “But we were hoping you could refer us to one that you know and trust after looking her over?”

“Of course,” Helen nods. She reaches out for the baby in his arms and as soon as he transfers her into her hold, she turns her head back to Steve, letting out a feeble whine.

“How old is she?” Helen asks, weighing her by holding her on the scale and subtracting her own before setting her on the padded table and measuring her height.

“Maybe around four months?” Steve tells her, and she tuts a bit at the lack of precise information before picking a disgruntled Sarah up and returning her to Steve. “The medics placed her at around three when we first found her.” 

“She’s not a newborn, but,” Helen makes quick work of grabbing her little foot, and before Steve could register what had happened, Sarah lets out a tearful shriek. “For further analysis.”

“Did you just prick her?” Steve gasps out incredulously, holding her tight against him as he consoles her. Helen just gives him a not-at-all apologetic smile, collecting the small sample of blood and setting it aside.

“If you say she’s four months, she’s underweight for her height at ten pounds,” Helen deflects. “Nothing that can’t be remedied, though.”

“I’ve put her on a loose feeding schedule—the first few days when I had her, I was expecting her to cry when she was hungry but she never did, and whenever I did feed her, she’d drink like she hasn’t been fed in days,” Steve explains, his hand wrapped securely around Sarah’s middle, the whimpering child leaning heavily against his stomach. “Is there something else we should be doing?”

“Not crying, hmm? Does she respond well to you?”

“She does, I think, and she’s calm when Nat holds her,” Steve recounts. “She noticed though that she doesn’t seek us out or curl into us like Rosie does.”

“She might just still be familiarizing herself,” Helen muses. “Does she meet your eyes?”

“She’s a baby, shouldn’t she not be able to focus on anything yet? I thought that was normal,” Steve frowns, trying his best not to press Sarah too tightly against his body. “Is there something wrong with her?”

“She should be able to hold your gaze at four weeks, and she’s barely doing that at four months. Where...where exactly did you rescue her from?” Helen asks, carefully choosing her words. When she catches the haunted look in his eyes, she knows that was answer enough. “Children and babies who are victims, or even just surrounded by trauma, it affects them early on. Rosie is a different case, since even though she didn’t get the emotional fulfillment from the base, she was given attention and they tended to her basic needs.”

Steve only nods, encouraging her to go on.

“From what I’m noticing here, it looks to be that she has RAD, or Reactive Attachment Disorder,” Helen says with finality to her tone. “It usually affects children and infants who don’t have stable caregivers early on. It could be that she’s spent a good majority of her short life without proper nurturing or care, or has seen and was subjected to things that she’s not supposed to see or be a part of.”

Steve suddenly find himself remembering being back inside the small cell, surrounded by children with decapitated limbs, missing eyes, and the sounds of doubtful cries when they found out they were free. The moment he laid eyes on the almost unmoving infant in the corner with blood trickling down her thigh and to the floor, he knew that in his entire life, there was no other horror that could compare to what he’s seen here.

Steve swallows thickly, trying to perish the thought. “Is it permanent? What can we do?”

“Getting her out there was a step towards the right direction,” Helen offers, sitting down on a nearby stool. “At this point, you’ve had her for several weeks, correct? She’s learning how to trust in caregivers again. I’m assuming that no one had tended to her whenever she cried, so she doesn’t expect it if she does.”

“Christ,” Steve mutters under his breath, dropping a long kiss on the crown of Sarah’s head.

“She still has a big chance to recover, though, as long as you put the work in. Make sure that you keep her interaction to Mom and Dad only to establish that connection for the first few months just to make it clear that you both aren't leaving anytime soon," Helen lists on, and Steve makes a mental note to relay all of this to Natasha as soon as they come back up. "So that means no interaction with the rest of the team until you feel that she's ready."

"We can do that," Steve nods. "What about Rosie?"

"Also to a minimum. Just supervise them, make sure that baby doesn't look too agitated or uncomfortable, but I wouldn't recommend her playing with her little sister just yet," Helen says regretfully, somehow aware of the dilemma she's presented. "Oh, and kangaroo care. Everyday if you can."

"Kangaroo care?" 

"Skin to skin contact," Helen elaborates. "It’s usually for newborns and preemies, but in this case, it’s to help with the emotional bonding."

"Oh, Natasha used to do that with Rosie," Steve recalls, and Helen only smiles.

"It's beneficial for both the parent and the child," Helen reaches forward to touch the gauze on her thigh. "You've been cleaning this out, correct?" 

"Yeah, twice a day," Steve nods. "Also the one on her wrist."

"Good, good," Helen stands from her seat to grab her notepad, leaning over her table and using up a few pages to write down her findings and several contacts. “I’ve listed the vaccines she’s supposed to get at her age and boosters you might want to look into in the coming months. I’ve also put down a few of my colleagues who specialize in pediatrics, child psychiatry, and family therapy. Tell them I referred you."

"Thank you," Steve takes the loose papers and folds them in half, putting them in his pocket. "This has been really helpful. Truly."

"Happy to help," Helen replies easily. "Give my regards to Natasha and Rosie."

"Of course," Steve returns Sarah back in her swaddle before picking her up and settling her in one arm. "Could you keep this check up off record? We haven't told the team yet about the new addition."

Helen gives him her word with a warm smile. "Doctor-patient confidentiality."

Meanwhile, back on their floor, Natasha rouses Rose from her sleep an hour after Steve had left. As she leads leads her drowsy child to the dining table, she notices her spot the pair of shoes outside their door and it breaks her heart how she doesn’t stop to ask or peer through like she usually would.

“Daddy came home last night,” Natasha tries to initiate, placing a bowl of oatmeal in front of her. “Are you excited to see him later?”

Rose looks down at her breakfast, spooning a large helping into her mouth to avoid responding. 

“Rosie,” Natasha sits down next to her, combing her fingers through her hair. “Hey, baby, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Rose noticeably straightens up, and Natasha takes her hand in holds it in both of hers.

“You know how Daddy was gone for a while?” Natasha waits for Rose to give her a nod before continuing. “He told me last night that the reason why he took so long was because he was helping lots of children find their families.”

Natasha knows it’s a severely watered down version of events, but she wasn’t about to let her know the entire truth. Rose seemed thoughtful, at least, swallowing first before speaking.

“Lots?”

“Lots.”

“How many?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe a hundred.”

Rose nods once, still trying to process how she feels, and before she could realize what was happening, Natasha was lifting her off her seat and transferring her to straddle her lap.

“It’s okay if you’re still upset about it,” Natasha reassures, clasping her hands behind her daughter’s back. “I know I was.”

“You said s’not okay to break a promise,” Rose says, toying with the fabric of her shirt. “He was gone for a long time, Mama.”

“That’s true, and he told me that he’s very sorry for doing so,” Natasha tells her earnestly. “But the children wouldn’t have been able to find their families if Daddy didn’t help.”

“I know, Daddy’s a superhero,” Rose mumbles, not disdainfully; simply stating it as a matter of fact. “Jus’ miss him a lot.”

“And that’s perfectly okay,” Natasha validates her, kissing the top of her head. “He said that he’ll be making it up to you, and if he doesn’t, I’m giving you full permission to tattle on your father.”

Rose giggles at that, and Natasha lets out a small sigh of relief. Crisis averted. She figures that now was good a time as any, and she holds her tighter against her. 

“Your Daddy was able to reconnect most of them with their families, but he wasn’t able to find all of them.”

Rose frowns, looking up into her eyes. “What happened to them, Mama?”

“Some of them got adopted by other families, some of them went to the orphanage—,”

“Wha’s that?”

“The orphanage? It’s where they place children with no homes.”

“Oh no,” Rose looks back down, her frown deeper now. “That’s not nice.”

“It’s not,” Natasha agrees. “But Daddy found a baby—,”

“Like baby Nate?” Rose interrupts, and Natasha nuzzles her nose into the crown of her head.

“Much smaller than baby Nate,” Natasha exhales. “He saw that she didn’t have a family at all.”

“Like…” Rose scrunches her eyebrows. “Like me b’fore you became my Mama?”

“Exactly,” Natasha pulls away to give her a tight smile. It stings, how much she still remembers. “And Daddy thought that…maybe we could be her family.” 

Rose’s head snaps up at her words, an incredulous look on her face.

“Really?”

“Mmhmm. What do you think about being a big sister?”

Rose looks utterly gobsmacked at the idea, but ever so slowly, a grin creeps onto her lips until she was practically beaming, and Natasha could feel the excitement radiating from her in waves. She wraps her arms around her neck tightly, and she’s surprised to feel tears dripping against her skin.

“Baby?” Natasha asks softly, and Rose shakes her head, holding her tighter.

“Thank ‘ou, Mama,” Rose whispers through her trembling, kissing under her jaw. “M’so happy.”

Natasha lets out a watery chuckle, grateful that she’s taken it better than she had expected, and she feels her heart about to burst at the overwhelming acceptance. “You’ll get to see her soon. She’s still little, and she gets scared easily like you did when you were first here. You have to be very careful around her.”

“I will, Mama,” Rose acquiesces immediately, sniffling a bit. “I’ll be the best sister. I’ll be gentle, promise.”

“I know you will,” Natasha teases, cupping her cheeks and wiping her tears away with the pads of her thumbs. “When did you become such a big girl, hmm?”

“M’excited to see her, can I hold the baby?” Rose asks eagerly, swinging her feet a bit. “What’s her name, Mama?”

“Her name’s Sarah,” Natasha tells her, resting her cheek against the top of her head. “We’ll see if you can hold her, alright?”

Rose nods, squeezing her mother one last time before scooting down from her lap and back to her seat to finish her breakfast. Just as they were settling into the living room, Steve comes through the elevator with Sarah sleeping peacefully in his arms.

Steve doesn’t say a word, simply transferring Sarah into Natasha’s hold when she meets him halfway before going straight to Rose, crouching down to meet her eyes from her place on the couch.

“Hi, Rosebud,” Steve starts, his tone remorseful. “I’ve missed y—oof!” 

Rose cuts him off when she flings herself into his arms, the force of it sending him backwards until he was sitting on the floor. He wraps his arms tight around her, inhaling deeply.

“Daddy’s so, so, sorry, baby girl,” Steve whispers into her hair, and Rose hugs him back just as fiercely, pulling back a bit after a moment to place her hands on each side of his face.

“Missed you,” Rose gives him a wet kiss on the nose. “Mama telled me about the children, Daddy. S’okay. You were helpin’ them.”

“I was,” Steve nods, his eyes flickering to Natasha who had sit down on the couch, watching the two of them interact with a fond smile. “But I still should’ve told you and your Mama about where I was instead of making you worry, and I promise I won’t do it again.”

“Swear?” Rose brings her pinky up, and without hesitation, wraps his around hers. 

“Swear.”

“Okay,” Rose smiles, wrapping an arm around his neck and leaning her side against him, looking at the pair on the couch. Natasha leans down to shush near the shell of the baby’s ear when she squirms a bit in her hold. “S’that…”

“Yeah, that’s Sarah,” Steve lifts her up effortlessly and sits down next to Natasha, settling Rose sideways on his lap to give her a better view. Natasha carefully brings the bundle closer to Rose, and the little girl gasps softly at the sight.

“She’s so tiny, Mama,” Rose looks properly awestruck. “Can I hold?”

“Not yet, Rosie,” Steve says in a low voice, kissing the back of her head. “Dr. Cho said that only Mama and Daddy can hold her for now.”

“Oh,” Rose looks a bit disheartened at that. “Okay.”

Natasha bites her lip. “You can talk to her, if you’d like. She’s just taking a nap but I’m sure she’d like to hear the sound of your voice.”

Rose nods, taking what she can, and leans forward to do so properly.

“Hi. Hi, Sarah,” Rose whispers, her voice almost reverent. “M’Rosie. And this is our Mama and Daddy. You’re family now.” 

Natasha’s heart blooms at the introduction, looking up at Steve and finding him wearing the same tender grin she had. Rose spots a small cut just below her ear and frowns.

“She’s hurt, Daddy?”

“Yeah, Ro, she’s still getting better,” Steve explains, and before they could stop her, Rose reaches forward, toying with the fabric Sarah was swaddled in.

“It’s safe here. No one’s gonna hurt you ‘gain,” Rose reassures the sleeping infant, and Natasha swallows thickly, looking up at the ceiling to keep her tears from slipping over.She’d go to the ends of the earth to make her child feel safe, and hearing that her daughter feels secure enough to promise Sarah the same is enough proof that despite all her doubts, she’s done at least something right.

“You still worried about them getting along?” Steve muses lightly, and when he turns his head, he’s caught by surprise when she leans forward to press her lips against his. 

When Natasha pulls away, she lingers close, trying to commit this moment to memory.

“Not anymore.” 


End file.
